Boozed up garda killer living in Dublin threatens our reporter

CONVICTED garda killer Martin McDermott flew into a rage after being confronted by the Sunday World yesterday, swearing at our reporter: “Why don’t you f**k off out of my face.”

The beefed-up thug – released from prison 21 months early after serving just five years for the manslaughter of Gary McLoughlin (24) – is now living in Finglas in north Dublin, where he is in a relationship with a local woman who visited him throughout his prison term.

Gary McLoughlin

McDermott emerged from the home the couple share in the Ballygall area of Finglas and carrying a bottle of Coors Light at approximately 12.30am, before making his way on foot to a neighbouring estate, where he was picked up by a black Hyundai Santa Fe.

Wearing a white baseball cap in an attempt to conceal his identity, McDermott and the vehicle’s other occupants made their way to Finglas village, where McDermott got out for a quick stop to pick up beer in a local off-licence.

Approached as he made his way out of the off-licence, McDermott initially appeared friendly, but his attitude instantly turned to one of anger when he realised he had been approached by a reporter.

“Why don’t you f**k off out of my face,” he yelled when asked to discuss his early release.

“So you don’t want to say anything?”

He responded: “I told you to f**k off out of me face.”

He then moved towards our reporter before being called back to the SUV by his pals.

The thug had 21 months cut from his sentence as he qualified for automatic remission, despite escaping from Loughan House Open Prison and assaulting two PSNI officers after being moved to the centre two years into his sentence for killing 24-year-old Garda McLoughlin.

Incredibly, this was the second occasion on which McDermott – who had 91 previous convictions – escaped from the same open prison during a custodial sentence.

Pictures posted on his new partner’s social media account show her visiting him in prison just six days before his release on June 8.

Other pictures show the pair enjoying their time a week later with the woman writing: “What a week, can’t believe he’s home xx.”

McLoughlin’s inquest was told how McDermott led gardai on a 30km chase on the N13, reaching speeds in excess of 150kmh, in the early hours of December 13, 2009, before colliding with the young garda’s vehicle.

Garda Brendan O’Connor of the GRA said: “The fact that a convicted garda killer who had 91 previous convictions walked out of an open prison, left the jurisdiction and assaulted a police officer while unlawfully at large, only to receive an additional 14 days sentence for these actions validates our assertions that current legislation does not provide a sufficient deterrent to protect our members.”